Corporate Monkeys
by QueenJay13
Summary: I don't even know about the title. Human A.U One-Shot in which Lovino is a very successful CEO of several faceless companies. One day a unsuspected blast from the past surfaces.


**A/N: I know I haven't read all the fan fictions involving Romano, but I think if this isn't the first one it probably is one of the scarcer ones where Romano is the star and there is not a single cuss word or an insult has been uttered! So I do realize that this is probably really o.c.c and full of grammar errors but I for some strange reason decided to put this up, I don't even know.**

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Everyone said that because of Lovino's negative attitude and short temper he would never get anywhere. Everyone said he would fail, in a way they we're right if only in the slightest although Lovino would never admit it, but he would say that being CEO of one of the top ten companies in America wasn't too shabby. In fact if he went back to Appleton Wisconsin everyone would kiss the very ground he walked on. Women and men alike wanted him and wish to have his luxurious lifestyle. In Lovino's mindset he had the perfect life: everyday a new challenge to claw himself to the top, house maids who scrubbed the space in-between the space in the tile flooring, a kitchen Chef Ramsey would be envious of. At night relaxing with a cup of wine next to Charlie Sheen and Chuck Norris as the setting sun sparkles over his Japanese fish pond. He had the lifestyle of a king and still the challenge of a newbie, otherwise known as perfect. Sure Lovino wants to be at the top and to have everything, but what would it be worth if he took the easy way? Pushing the blame to a faceless scapegoat, blackmailing fellow men of the same status or denying everything in a lie, no he wants to earn and work his way up to the top. Taking blame for his mistakes, successfully negotiating sponsors truthfully, and being completely honest about every little situation that emerges. That's the way to run a multimillion dollar company, even though a lost art. Today was a fresh challenge: a fellow corporation of much lower rank (barely making it in the top fifties) wanted to buy Lovino's company. Lovino was going in blind; knowing nothing of the man he was supposed to meet this evening, not even given a name. In short Lovino was excited for this new and enthralling opportunity to do the same old thing with a new person with mysterious intentions, morals, and plans. Although Lovino owns four more corporations across the country, this one meant more to him seeing as this is the original company. Lovino never intended for this company to grow seeing as there was no need for it and it had just been an impulsive choice especially since at the time he was only in the last trimester in his second year of a very prestigious upstate business school. Trying to maintain the luxury and challenges of his current lifestyle was becoming harder as his success he built up. He came at a fork; he could take the left a future of working up one of his other and much lower companies or on the right he could chose to stick to his higher company to get him at the top. That is what has been on the Italians mind for three days and even now as he swirled Italian red wine in his glass staring out a floor to ceiling window. He was ready for a negotiation, a black suit ironed and pressed with impressive agility and concentration, his best dark red silk dress shirt, his black tie with silver thread and light silver swirling design and his custom Persian hand crafted black shoes polished and shimmered so brightly it made the sun look dull. All in all he looks like the very embodiment of corporate power, if he said to juggle on a unicycle you would drop everything and do as he wishes. It's something about Lovino that makes people want to follow every word he says as if his words came straight from the gods themselves.

"Mr. Vargas, your eleven fifty is here Mr.-" Lovino's young timid assistant started to say before being cut off by Lovino.

"No name Matthew, just send them in." Matthew nodded and closed the double oak doors. Lovino still gazing in thought at the window, this negotiation depends completely on this stranger's terms, you wouldn't give your first born to just anyone? Lovino heard the door drag across the spotless white carpet before hearing the click of the closing door.

"I started this company from the ground up. I poured sweat, blood and time into the insurance of this company's success and I have never once borrowed begged or stole." Lovino says thoughtfully taking a drink from his glass, before turning around to meet his opponent. He was surprised to find that his opponent to be none other than his brother's childhood friend, Ludwig Beilschmidt. Lovino's eyes narrowed at the tall man who not only grew but packed on muscle as well. Lovino couldn't tell if Ludwig recognized him or not for his expression stayed stoic.

"Hallo. Vargas." Ludwig says after a while letting the smaller know that he indeed recognized him.

"Beilschmidt. Please have a seat." Lovino says trying to be professional and polite. Ludwig sits in a chair in front of Lovino's desk and Lovino sits on the opposite side.

"Just because you were friends with my fratello doesn't mean I'm going to go easy on you."

"Of course, if you did how would that reflect on the company?" Ludwig retaliates his face like a smooth slab of stone, unreadable but full of ideas. Ludwig has always been this way though, unreadable but no fool, in Lovino's earlier years he detested Ludwig's stoic expressions and it was the cause of his hate (for that's how Lovino could read every one, through there expressions and reactions.) now instead of hate, he had nothing but respect for the German After a long moment Ludwig was the one to break the silence.

"I'm willing to give you six million for your company along with any rights and it's rumored that you like challenges, so a janitor's job so that you could perhaps work yourself to VP over time." Lovino just lightly scoffs at the pathetic offer.

"That's your offer? Six million and a janitor position?" Lovino slightly giggles.

"Six million and a challenge." Ludwig corrected.

"I would be back to CEO within a week!" Lovino said with a fiery passion in his eyes.

"I've done the numbers this place is worth at least fifteen million." Lovino added, if Ludwig had been drinking coffee or tea he would surely be spitting it out right now, but that's not the case. Of course Lovino didn't want fifteen million, he never said he did but he didn't want six million either.

"Eight million."

"Please don't be insulting, thirteen million."

"Nine."

"Twelve." Lovino says with a smirk resting his chin on his locked fingers. He was almost there

"Ten."

"Ten million, 7% of any profit and rights to veto you over certain things."

"Ten million, 5% cut und no veto rights but in place of no vetoing creative rights."

"Tch~ ten million, 6%, a Christmas bonus for five years and entry rights to come in the building anytime this is my last offer." Ludwig took a moment to think, Lovino could see the internal battle going on through those cerulean blue eyes.

"Fine, deal ten million 6% cut of profit, a Christmas bonus for the next five years and entry rights." Even though Ludwig now had the company he lost and Lovino had won by the simple fact that he got what he wanted. Sure this was his first company, but he had others and of what he remembered Ludwig would more than likely drag the company down to the bottom again. Lovino sent Matthew to go print out the contract, as they waited in a tense awkward silence Lovino remembered something. He took the key that was hidden in his pocket and opened a secret cabinet attached to his work desk. He took out a smallish box that had collected dust over the years and placed it on his desk, in between the two. Ludwig did not change his facial expression but opted for a raised eyebrow in confusion. This one time Lovino could understand the unspoken question.

"Letters from Feliciano, dated almost as far back as when you moved. He still writes you time to time, although he lost your address a long time ago." Lovino says pushing the box away from him as if it was an offending holiday fruit cake that he wanted nothing to do with. Ludwig took the box and placed it on his lap before popping the top open. Inside there was easily over two hundred letters, mostly in white envelopes but with a few colorful ones thrown in the organized pit. At one time when Lovino first found them he organized them chronological and was tempted to read the letters, but chose not to because unsent mail is still mail and reading another's mail without permission is still a federal offense.

"Vhy do you have these?" He asks trying to remain placid.

"A lot of those letters are from long ago and if you remembered correctly I hated you back then." Lovino says trying not to look like a child who got caught stealing a cookie from the cookie jar. "Most of those are from Feliciano, you can write him if you want." Lovino says as Matthew comes gliding silently in handing the two men two copies of the contracts. They signed their names in the respectful dotted lines before Ludwig once again broke the silence.

"You really did hate me?" He asks more in a statement kind of way than an actual question.

"Si, that's what I just said, isn't it?" Lovino says casting an angry glare to the German, who just nodded his head before depositing the contract in his briefcase, making a mental note to make copies. Maybe in different company Lovino would make small chit-chat, banter or reminisce, but this wasn't Lovino and Antonio or Lovino and Bella or even Lovino and Arthur, but it isn't. There is no happy light atmosphere or cooing of cute small children, only a stiff intense air that only Lovino Vargas and Ludwig Beilschmidt, formal rivals, could have.

"Make sure you write Feliciano." Lovino says sternly as Ludwig stood to make his exit. Ludwig only nods in response holding the box in one arm carefully so that none of the ancient envelopes would spew out and cause an unnecessary mess.

"Auf Wiedersehen."

" Addio" Then the door clicked closed. If they were not Lovino and Ludwig but instead Kiku and Arthur or Lily and Elizaveta things would be different. One thing's for sure though…Ludwig better write Feliciano back.


End file.
